Heart Disease: The Silent Killer
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Heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease or CHD, occurs when the heart's coronary arteries are constricted due to the accumulation of plaque. The narrowing and blockage of the arteries by plaque is called atherosclerosis. Coronary heart disease is the most common form of the disease, and it affects upwards of 13 million Americans every year. Coronary heart disease is the single greatest cause of death for both men and women in the United States, eclipsing all other causes, including HIV, cancer and lung disease. You may not be aware, but each year more than a half of a million Americans die of coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease, at it's most severe, leads to heart failure. When your heart loses the ability to pump enough blood through your body, heart failure occurs. The severity of the heart disease depends on how much of the heart's capacity to pump blood has been lost. While a mild heart failure may have little effect on your life, severe heart failure can make even everyday activities difficult and can often lead to death. You may not be aware of a startling statistic that reveals half of all patients diagnosed with heart failure will die within five years of the initial diagnosis. Almost five million Americans experience heart failure, the main reason why heart disease is such a chronic condition in the United States.
What are the symptoms of heart disease? The symptoms of heart disease vary according to the type and severity of heart disease. Unfortunately, many heart diseases cause no symptoms early on in their diagnosis. When symptoms of heart disease occur, they usually vary from person to person. Symptoms of heart disease can include chest pains, shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue, or fainting. If you have any of these heart disease symptoms, time is of the essence. You should visit your doctor immediately to diagnose the problem.
What can be done to control this silent killer? First of all, if you smoke, this article should give you a great reason to quit. Smoking is a major cause of heart disease and it is a totally unnecessary habit. Your goal should be to completely quit smoking and limit your everyday exposure to secondhand smoke, which recent studies have indicated is just as dangerous. You can also take steps to control your blood pressure by making healthy lifestyle choices. Eat smart, reduce the amount of salt in your diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, avoid excessive consumption of alcohol and maintain a steady regimen of physical activity. Adults should have at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day of the week. For an eating plan, your goal should be to match your calorie intake with your body's need for energy. Saturated fats and trans fats should be avoided. For those at a higher risk of coronary heart disease, a low dose aspirin can be taken regularly with your doctor's approval.
Information on Heart Disease
The term Heart disease encompasses a huge number of diseases of the heart, though the usual hint is towards coronary ailments. Such Heart disease leads to angina and heart attacks. The other diseases of the heart include those of the heart valves, muscles, pericardium, infections, heartbeats, inborn defects and cases of heart failure. There is no cause for worry as treatment and medications for all sorts of diseases of the heart are now available.
The main culprits behind the heart disease are high blood pressure and associated hypertension of the nerves. You can control your blood pressure with the help of your doctor’s recommendations. The best remedies are to decrease obesity and have a strict exercise regimen. Others include reduction in the intake of salt and drinks.
When blood is not able to pass easily through your arteries, your heart muscles receive less oxygen. This gives a tight feeling to your chest region and may extend to the organs of the main body frame. You will develop these symptoms during any physical work or even after meals. These constitute the main symptoms of Heart disease. Some others include sweating, nausea and/or light-headedness.
Deposits of fatty substances within the walls of the arteries block the easy flow of blood to the heart. This endangers the supply of oxygen to the body parts and triggers off Heart disease. The fatty substances join hands with the other waste materials of the cells to help in blood clotting, causing further deterioration in your condition.
Intake of diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables is the best for Heart disease. You can also include wholegrain cereals, green leafy vegetables rich in vitamins C and folic acid, fish, egg yolk, pulses and nuts. The best way to include most of them in your daily diet is to take liberal helpings of salads and vegetables during the two main meals. Fresh fruits of different varieties can accommodate your snack times.
Health Info Base
Despite the fact that heart disease is the number one cause of death in women in the Canada/United States, many women at risk for heart disease are undiagnosed until they have a heart attack. Many in the medical profession believe that Heart Disease is the Number on Women’s Health issue today. Only 9% of women identify heart disease as the condition they fear most, even though heart disease kills twice as many women aged 45 –65 then breast cancer.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute , 375,000 women (or 1 in 3) die of heart disease every year, 3 million have had a heart attack, and two-thirds of those who have had a heart attack do not fully recover.
Black women are 69% more likely to have heart disease and are more likely to die of a heart attack before menopause. The cause for this is still under review. One thing that medical professional now know is that women should be aware of the risk factors.
Heart disease has long been thought of as "a man’s disease," and because of this widely held belief, many women are unaware of the risk factors: Being overweight, Diabetes, Family history of heart disease, High blood pressure, High cholesterol , Physical inactivity and at the top of the list is smoking.
The heart and stroke foundation recommends that eating healthy and getting regular exercise is essential to a heart healthy lifestyle. Those that have suffered a heart attack and survived are blessed with a second chance are a healthy life, some are so lucky to survive. After suffering a heart attack many patients are put on a walking program that will consist of daily walking of a couple miles. In the winter months many patients have joined other to walk in doors at the local shopping center.
Women that believe they are at risk should consult their doctor. An appropriate medical plan and diet could make the difference between long life and facing a heart attack.
Living With Heart Disease
If you have been diagnosed with chronic heart disease there is often no cure and you will have to take steps in your life to take care of your heart, your mental condition, and your general health. If you have had any type of surgery for your heart you will also need to make certain that you learn to live with heart disease. You will need to maintain a healthy lifestyle to make sure that you take care of your heart and prevent further damage. The first thing that you need to do is to understand the symptoms and signs of heart disease. If you are experiencing the symptoms of heart disease or heart failure make sure that you seek immediate medical assistance. If you have a heart condition and are taking medication that has been prescribed by your doctor make sure that you take your medication as prescribed and always keep it with you. If you need to make a trip to the emergency room of the hospital make sure that you either take your medication with you or that you make the emergency staff aware of your heart disease condition and the types of medication that you are taking.
You should try to reduce the risk in your life of developing heart disease or of furthering your heart condition if you have already been diagnosed. There are several things that you can do to reduce your risk. Make sure that you see your doctor on a regular basis, especially if you are already at risk for heart disease. If you have been prescribed medication make sure that you take it on a regular basis at the times that your doctor has prescribed. Maintain a weight that is healthy for your body and if you have high blood pressure take steps to get this under control by diet and exercise as well as medication if your doctor recommends this. Your healthy lifestyle should include a regular exercise program that has been approved by your doctor. You will want to eat a healthy and well balanced diet. Reduce the amount of fat and sugars that you consume. If you are uncertain about what you should be eating make sure that you talk to your doctor, who may refer you to a nutritionist for guidance.